Meabh, 23, left her lenses in for 10 hours instead of the recommended eight, as a result her left lens became ‘glued to her eyeball’

The film studies graduate, who hates wearing glasses, started wearing contacts aged 16 – managing the effects of dry eyes with over-the-counter drops.

She explained: “When I first started wearing contact lenses, aged 16, I’d wear my glasses mostly throughout the day then put my contacts in for going out at night.
“I already had quite dry eyes and would always have to use eye-drops while putting the contacts in.

“But as I got older, and when I began university, I became more conscious of how I looked and took to wearing my contacts pretty much non-stop, every day.”

But one evening in August, the 23-year-old, originally from Belfast but now living in Liverpool, settled down to watch a film with her boyfriend when she realised she still had her lenses in.

Meabh said: “I ran upstairs to take them out and stupidly, in a rush, I just pinched my eye first like I normally would do to get the contact out.

“But I should have moistened them first – because this time my eye was so dry the contact had actually glued itself to my eyeball.

Meabh started wearing contacts more regularly as she didn’t like the way her glasses looked

She added: “The biggest disappointment was being told that because of the corneal scarring I’m not now suitable for laser eye surgery, which is a huge blow.

“All because I left a contact lens in for too long – something countless other people do too.

“I’ve certainly learnt a lesson, albeit a very painful one.”

I was so, so lucky. I could have lost my sight. I just didn’t realise how dangerous wearing contact lenses could be

Meabh McHugh-Hill

Speaking to The Sun Online, vision expert Dr David Allamby of Focus Clinic in London warned bad habits can have severe consequences when it comes to contact lenses.

He explained: “The biggest risk is an eye infection, which is called microbial keratitis.

“The risk is about 1 in 2,000 per year for contact lens wearers, so over ten years of use about a 1 in 200 chance.

“So you’re 15 times more likely to get an eye infection from contact lenses over ten years than you are from laser eye surgery.”

How to avoid an eye infection from contact lenses

– Do not sleep in your contact lenses
– Do not swim or shower while wearing lenses
– Wash your hands before putting contacts in
– Ensure your lenses are properly disinfected
– Replace disinfectant, don’t top it up
– Clean the container properly and dry it upside down to drain

“The sooner you catch it, the better. If you treat them quickly they may not leave a scar, but we know that overall one in six eye infections will damage eyesight. It’s a very serious problem.”

He added: “[Preventing infection] is really down to hygiene.

“A study from the CDC of 1,000 contact lens wearers found that 99 per cent don’t follow one or more rules of good contact lens use.

“An Australian study also found that those who bought their contact lenses on the internet were five times more likely to get an eye infection than those who got them from an optician or ophthalmologist.”

Now, she has a permanent scar on her pupil – and can’t wear a contact lens in her left eye

He said: “I wouldn’t recommend [novelty lenses] at all. What is the quality of the lenses?

“There is risk of damage to the eye from lenses that are not of optical grade. And secondly, people may not necessarily have a lot of experience handling lenses.

“I would avoid it, go for the face make-up, not the lenses.”

He added: “Contact lenses are highly effective, but they do carry significant risks when not used properly. In 10,000 LASIK treatments I’ve not had one infection, but I’ve seen lots of scars from contact lenses.

“I think people might underestimate the dangers of contact lenses and it’s very easy to fall into bad practice. So use them, but use them sensibly.”

Contact lenses could soon pick up health issues and ‘tell’ you about them